Golf practice device



Feb. l2, 1935. p, W, KANE GOLF PRACTICE DEUGE 2 sheet-sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1932 Feb. 12, 193s. y P. w. KANE 1,991,252

GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE Filed Feb. 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A TTORNE Y Patented Feb. 12, 1935 UNITED sTATEsfy PATENT OFFICE eoLF'PnAcTroE DEVICE Peter W. Kane, Rochester, N. Y. Application February zo, 1332, serial No. 594,333 16 claims. (o1. zes-2o) This invention relates to golf practice devices and more particularly to a device which will accurately and precisely indicate the correctness of the hit of the ball by the club and the distance of the hit or drive.

One object of the invention is to provide a golf practice device or game which, if the ball is hit accurately,` the distance only of the hit or drive will be indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf practice device or game which will indicate an inaccurate hit-of the ball by the club and also indicate the distance of the hit or drive.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf practice device which will indicate Athe accuracy or correctness of the hit of the ball by the club, also the distance of the hit or drive and automatically return the ball to aninitial position ready to be struck another blow by the club. A further object of the invention is to provide a golf practice device of rigid and simple construction and one which is capable of long durable service and which will precisely and accurately indicate the blows'delivered to the ball as well as the distance of the hit or drive.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth) in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, within the scope of thev claims, may be resorted to without departing` from the spirit of the invention or sacriiicing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device constructed in accordance with my invention.

'Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3--3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view partly in section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 taken in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 'Z is a transverse sectional view on the line 7--7 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a detail view of the support for the ball. A

Figure 9 is a detail view showing the ball support in the guideway and the indicator operator attached to the guideway.

Figure 10 is a detail'view showing the manner of connecting the indicator operator to the end of the guideway; and

v Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view on the line 11-11 of Figure 5.

. Similar reference numerals in the several views denote the same parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference character 1 indicates a casing which consists of a top 2, sides 3, a front 4, an end 5 and a bottom 6. The top 2 of the casing is provided with slots 'I preferably slightly curved and graduations 8 are placed adjacent each slot. Accuracy indicating pointers hereinafter more fully described extend through the slots 7 and indicate by means of the graduations, the accuracy with which the ball has been hit by a suitable club or, in other words, the accuracy or general direction of the blow or hit by the club. The top 2 is cut-out or slotted as at 2 adjacent the front 4 to accommodate the support for the ball referred to hereinafter.

A relatively long narrow channel member 9 is secured at its open end to the front 4 of the casing by spot welding or in any other suitable manner as at 10. The other end of the channel member 9 is closed as shown at 11. An indicator plate 12 provided with a slot 13 and graduated as at 14 on both sides of the slot is secured over the ,end 11 of the channel member 9 by suitable screws or other fastenings 15. A distance indicator pointer, hereinafter referred to, extends through the slot 13 and indicates by means of the graduations 14 the distance the ball is driven by the force or impact of the club with the ball.

A relatively long tubular hollow guideway 16 is adapted to be received in the channel member 9 es most clearly seen in Figures 1, 2 and 4. This guideway is provided with a horizontally extending slot 17 in its upper periphery which extends throughout its length except -for the portion 18 at one end thereof. A pneumatic pressure cylinder 19 is slipped over the end 20 of the guideway 16 as at 21 and secured. thereto in any suitable manner and is also received in the channel member 9, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The other end 22 of the guideway pro`- pivot with an angular vthe same.

jects beyond the end of the channel member 9 into the casing 1 beneath the slot or cut-out portion 2' in the top thereof, most clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3 and is loosely positioned therein to allow of limited movement.

A support 26 consisting of a cup portion 24 in which is held a golf ball 25, a slide or plunger portion 23 connected by a flattened portion 26hsupported above the top 2 of the casing so that it is unobstructed and may be readily hit with a golf or other club.

vAttached to the bottom 6 within the casing 1 are a. plurality of indicating levers or arms. The levers or arms are arranged in an upper pair and a lower pair. 'Ihe upper pair of levers or arms 26 and 27 are pivotally mounted on upstanding pins 28 and 29 respectively, which extend from and are secured to the bottom 6. The free ends of the levers 26'L and 27 project through the slots 7 in the front 2 of the casing and are formed with pointers 26' and 27 respectively. The lower pair of levers 30 and 31 are pivotally mounted adjacent their ends on upstanding pins 32 and 33 respectively, which also extend from and are secured to the bottom 6 of the casing. The free ends of the levers or indicating arms 30 and 31 project through the slots 7 in the top-2 of the casing and are formed with pointers 30 and 31. The opposed edges of the levers 26 and 27 are spaced apart adjacent their respective pivot points and are parallel as at 34. Lever 30 is provided adjacent its portion 35, the inner edge of which as at 36,A is substantially at a right angle to the lever. Lever 31 is provided adjacent its pivot with an extended portion 37 having an edge thereof parallel with and spaced from the right angle edge 36 of the lever 30.

An operator 38 for the indicator levers is mounted for universal movement in a stationary bracket 38 which is secured to the underside of the top 2 of the casing 1 in any suitable manner. The operator 38 is forked as at 39 at one end and a ball 40 is provided at the other end of A pin 41 is secured to the operator as at 42 and depends from the underside thereof. The ball 40 of the operator is received in a ball socket 43 formed in the stationary bracket 38. The forked ends 39 of the operator are provided with openings, and the end 22 of the hollow guideway 16 is also formed with openings. The forked end 39 of the operator straddles the end 22 of the guideway and the openings in these respective parts register, 'to enable a suitable pin 44 to be passed into these openings and through the hollow guideway to connect the end 22 of the guideway with the indicator operator, thereby allowing of a universal movement of the indicator operator.

The end 22 of the guideway 16 is. held in spaced relation to the bottom 6 of the casing 1 and the bottom of the channel member 9 by means of the operator 38. The other end 20 of the guideway which has attached to it the air cylinder 19 is' also held in spaced relation to the bottom of the channel member 9 by means of a projection 9' upon which it rests, thereby form- A channel member in the lower portion of the substantially throughout its length. The extreme outer end of the air cylinder 19 abuts the distance indicator plate l2 as at 19 and longitudinal movement of the guideway is thereby prevented. The projection 9 is spaced from the closed end of the channel member 9 as is also the extreme end of the air cylinder 19 thereby forming a second chamber 11a in the channel member 9.

A substantially T-shaped distance indicator 45 having a pointer 46 formed above the head 47 and providing grooves 48 at either side thereing a chamber 9n A of is adapted to slide freely in the slot 13 of the indicator plate 12. The depending portion 45 and the head 47 slide within the chamber 1l^ and of course the pointer 46 is exterior of the chamber 11.

'I'he pneumatic pressure cylinder 19 has therein a floating abutment 49. This abutment consists of two cup washers 50 which are spaced apart by a sleeve 51 and connected together by means of a threaded bolt 52 and a nut 53 forming a single unit. The unconnected end of the cylinder 19 is closed by a screw disk 54 which has attached thereto a sealing washer 55. The disk and washer are provided with a central aperture 56 through whichextends thev outer end of a piston rod 57. This rod has attached thereto interiorly ofthe cylinder 19, a. piston 58. This piston consists of oppositely disposed cup washers 59, a spacer 60 which are all held together by nuts 61 engaging screw threads on the rod 57 on opposite sides of the cup washers 59.

An upper friction bar 62 consisting of a narrow iiat strip of metal having openings 63 and a lower friction bar 64 with openings 65 and similar in shape to the upper bar 62 are positioned on upstanding pins 66. These pins ex' gagement with the upper sides of the indicating levers or arms 30 and 31, as will be clearly seen by referring to Figure 7. A re-setting bar 67 is pivotally mountedintermediate its ends on an up-standing pin 68 which is secured to the bottom 6. This re-setting bar is provided' adjacent each end with downwardly extending pins 63 and intermediate of the pins 69 and the pivotal point of the bar 67 there are additional downwardly extending pins 70. One end 71 of there-setting bar has an aperture therein and one end of a coil-spring 72 is connected through the aperture in the bar and the other end of the coil spring is secured to any up-standing projection 73 which is secured to the bottom 6- of the casing. The other end 74 of the re-settingbar is provided with an aperture and has secured or held therein a flexible wire cable 75.. This wire cable extends from the point of connection to the re-setting bar 67 below the guideway 16 in the chamber 9Il formed in the' channel member 9 and extends through an opening 76 in the projection 9' and through an opening in. the depending portion 45' of the distance indicator 45. The free end of the flexible cable 75 is enlarged as at 77. The arrangement of this cable wherein the distance indicator 45l slides will be clearly seen by referring to Figure 2. A` pedal 78 is pivotally mounted on a pin 79 which extends through the lower portion o f thepedal and 'in the chamber 9*il and in the chamber 118L A wire or cable extends and the free end of the wire or cable 81 is connected to the re-setting bar 67 adjacent its pivotal connection 68, as shown at 85.

'Ihe parts of thedevice in their original positions are shown in-Figure 1 and in the other figures of the drawings. It is to be understood that the device as a whole is supported on the floor or on any other suitable support. The support 23 for the ball 25 normally rests in the slot or cut-out portion 2- in the top 2 of the casing 1 and the slide portion 23 of the ball support 26 is mounted in the guideway 16 which extends below the slot 2' in the top of the casing. The end 22 of the guideway 16 has pivotally connected thereto by means of the pin 44 theoperator 38 for the indicator levers. This operator 38 is mounted for universal movement in the stationary bracket 38' and the pin 41 depends from the operator 38 and extends into an opening formed by the particular arrangement and formation of the indicator levers 26a, 27, 30 and 31 adjacent their pivotal points. The pin 41 of the operator is in very close proximity to the respective edges of all of the aforementioned indicator levers. In this manner and the particular arrangement of the operator with regard to the indicator levers, when the ball is hit with a suitable club and when and if the ball is hit accurately, the slide or plunger portion 23 of the support 26 for the ball will be driven forwardly in the guideway 16 and the end of the plunger or slide 23 will forcefully engage the head of the bolt 52 of the floating abutment 49 and air will be compressed within the cylinder 19 which is closed and the rod 57 connected to the piston 58 will be projected outwardly of the cylinder and contact with the distance indicator 45 and move the same in the slot in the indicator plate 12 to indicate the distance of the hit and Vsimultaneously with such engagement of the slide or plunger 23 with the oating abutment 49, the said abutment will rebound after compressing air in the cylinder 19 against the piston 58 and strike the plunger or slide 23 and cause the same to move to its original position in the guideway beneath the slot 2' of the top 2 of the casing. However, if the ball 25 is not hit accurately with the club, that is, if the ball is topped, lofted or hit on either side of the radial center of the ball, immediately upon such an inaccurate hit of the ball, the operator 38 and consequently its depending pin 41 will either be moved upwardly or downwardly or to one side or the other, and the fact that the pin is in engagement with all of the indicating levers 26, 27, and 31, depending upon the movement of the pin 41 caused by the inaccurately hit ball, the said pin will engage one of these levers and indicate by means of its respective pointer and the graduations 8 on the top 2 of the casing the inaccuracy of the hit. Immediately upon hitting the ball, the slide or plunger 23 of the support 26 for the ball will go forwardly in the guideway 16, engage the floating abutment 49, and the rod '57 of the piston 58 will be forced outwardly and the probable distance of the drive or hit will be indicated by the pointer 46 and the graduations 14 on the plate 12, and the support will be returned to its initial position, as

herein before described. In other words, if the ball is hit accurately there will be no indication caused by the operator 38 and itslassociaticn with the indicating levers 26a, 27, 30 and 3l and only the distance of the hit will be indicated by the pointer 46 on the indicator plate 12, but

when the ball is inaccurately hit, that is, topped,

lofted, hooked or sliced, such a hit will be indicated byeither of the pointers 26', 27', 30 and 31 and, of course, the probable distance of such a hit will also be indicated by the pointer 46 on lthe indicator plate 12.

Istood that the device might well be used as a game. The device will accurately indicate whether or not the ball has been hit correctly by the club and if so, only the distance of the drive will be indicated, but when the ball is inaccurately hit, such a hit will be indicated as well as the distance of the hit or drive. In any event, and no matter how the ball is hit, the floating abutment 49 will automatically return the support 26 for the ball 25 to its original position so that the same is ready to be struck another blow with a suitable club.

This device will indicate precisely whether or not the ball is hit correctly and accurately and also the probable distance of the drive or hit of the ball and by using the same, one may perfect his golf game and be assured that if the accurate hitting of the ball has been mastered by practicing on this device, his game on the golf links will be greatly improved. The device is so constructed that it will not readily get out of order and may be used byl children or grownups as a golf practice device or as a game or in any suitable manner such as desired by the user.

What is claimed is:

l. A golf practice device comprising a guideway, the said guideway being capable of limited movement, a support for a ball movable in the guideway, when hit, the said hit causing limited movement of the guideway, indicating means at both ends of the guideway, one of said indicating means determining the inaccuracy of the hit and the other the probable-distance of the hit, movable indicator operating means in engagement with and movable by the said guideway and engageable with the accuracy indicator means whereby when the ball is hit the indicator will be operated by the movable operator, and the support at the end of its movement in the guideway will engage the indicator means positioned there and indicate the probable distance of the hit.

2. A golf practice device comprising a guideway, the guideway being capable of limited movement, a support for a ball movable in the guideway, when hit, the said hit causing limited movement of the guideway, a plurality of pivoted indicators adjacent one end of the guideway, an indicator operator movable by the said guideway, said operator having a universal movement and engageable with said pivoted indicators, an indicator adjacent the other end of the guideway, pneumatic means for operating said last mentioned indicator whereby when the ball if hit accurately will not operate any of the rst mentioned indicators and only the distance will-be indicated by the support engaging the pneumatic means for operating vthe indicator at the other end of the guideway, and if the ball is not hit accurately this will be indicated by one or more oi' the first mentioned indicators and subsequently the distance of the hit will be indicated by the indicator at the other end of the guideway.

3. A golf practice device comprising a guideway, the guideway being capable of limited movement, a support for a ball movable in the guideway, when hit, the said hit causing limited movement of the guideway, a casing containing movable indicators adjacent one end of the guideway, an indicator operator within the casing and engageable with said movable indicators, said operator being movable by said guideway, a distance indicator, pneumatic means adjacent the other end of the guideway engageable with the distance indicator adjacent the same whereby when the ball i1' hit accurately will not operate either of the ilrst mentioned indicators but only the distance of the hit will be indicated by the force of the said support contacting with the said pneumatic means to operate the distance indicator and simultaneously with such indication return the support towardA the iirst mentioned movable indicator, and if the ball is not hit accurately this will be indicated by one of the ilrst mentioned indicators andsubsequently the distance 4will be indicated by the force oi.' the support contacting with the said pneumatic means to operate the distance indicator and simultaneously with such last mentioned indication return the support toward the rst mentioned movable indicator, and means for re-settlng the indicators.

4. A golf practice device comprising a guideway, a support for a ball normally positioned A 1n one end of the guideway and movable therein when the ball is hit, pneumatic means associated with the other end of the guideway, an indicator adjacent the pneumatic means, whereby when the ball is hit, the support engages the pneumatic means causing operation of said indicator, and simultaneously with the said engagement of the support with the pneumatic means, the latter causes the support to return toward its original position in the guideway.

5. A golf practice device comprising a guideway, a support for a ball in one end of the guideway and movable therein when the ball is hit, a closed pneumatic cylinder associated with the other end of the guideway, an indicator adjacent said cylinder, a iloating abutment and a piston having a rod attached thereto in the cylinder, the free end oi' the rod extending from one end of the cylinder and engageable with said indicator, whereby when said ball is hit the support engages the iioating abutment, compresses air in the cylinder causing the projecting end of said rod to operate the indicator, and simultaneously with such compression of air in the cylinder the iloating abutment will rebound and strike the said support and move the same .toward its original position in the guideway.

6. A golf practice device comprising a casing and a hollow guideway associated therewith, the guideway being capable of limited movement, a support for a ball movable in the guideway, when hit, the said hit causing limited movement of the guideway, pairs oi' pivoted indicators within the casing and extending exteriorly thereof adjacent one end of the guideway, friction bars in engagement with said indicators, an indicator operator attached to said casing and to said guideway and engageable with said pairs oi' indicators, the said indicator operator being capable of a universal movement, the movement of the indicator operator being caused by the hit which eects limited movement of the guideway, an indicator adjacent the other end of the guideway, whereby when the ball if hit accurately will not operate either of the ilrst mentioned indicators and only the probable distance of the hit will be indicated by the support causing operation of the second mentioned indicator, and if the ball is not hit accurately this will be indicated by either of the iirst mentionedy indicators, and subsequently the probable distance of the hit will be indicated by the said indicator at the other end of the guideway, and means for resetting all of said indicators.

7. A golf practice device comprising a casing and a hollow guideway associated therewith, the guideway being capable of limited movement, a support for a ball normally in one end of the guideway and movable therein, when hit, the said hit causing limited movement of the guideway, pivoted indicators within the casing and extending exteriorlythereof for visual indication, a universally mounted indicator operator in the casing attached thereto and to said guideway, an indicator adjacent the other end oi' the guideway, pneumatic means for operating said last mentioned indicator whereby when the ball if hit accurately will not cause operation of either ofthe first mentioned indicators and only the probable distance of the hit will be indicated by the support engaging the pneumatic means and causing operation of the said indicator at the other end of the guideway and simultaneously with such indication return the support toward its normal position in the guideway, and if the ball is not hit accurately this will be indicated by either of the ilrst mentioned indicators and subsequently the probable distance of the hit will be indicated by the indicator at the other end of the guideway and simultaneously therewith the support will be returned toward its normal position in the guideway.

8. A game practice device comprising a ball, means mounting said ball for movement in a straight elongated definite path throughout the entire length of such movement, when hit, means for indicating the inaccuracy of the hit, simultaneously with the hit, if such hit be inaccurate and means engageable by said mounting means at the end of said path tor forthwith indicating the probable distance of the hit.

9. A golf practice device comprising a ball, a support for the ball, a straight elongated hollow guideway, the said support being mounted in the hollow guideway and capable of sliding movement within predetermined limits therein, when hit, means at one end of said guideway for indicating an inaccurate hit, such means giving no indication if the hit be accurate, and means at the other end o1' the guideway and engageable by said support for indicating the probable distance oi' the hit.

10. A device as claimed in and by claim 9,

wherein the inaccuracy determining means comprises upper and lower pairs of pivotally mountv ed levers actuated by said guideway for indicating the inaccuracy of the hit.

11. A device as claimed in and by claim 9, wherein the guideway is of relatively long hollow straight tubular formation and having a slot in its upper portion extending substantially throughout its length and through which slot regrese the support projects so as to support the ball above the guideway and guide the support in a straight xed path.

12. A device as claimed in and by claim 9, wherein means is provided at the other end of the guideway for returning the support toward its original position ready to be again hit.

13. A golf practice device comprising a ball, a support` for the ball, a straight elongated hollow guideway, the said suport being mounted in the hollow guideway and capable ,of sliding movement within predetermined limits therein, when hit, means at one end of said guideway for indicating an inaccurate hit, rsuch means giving no indication if the hit be accurate, means at the other end of the guideway and engageable by said support for indicating the probable distance of the hit, and means at the said other end of the guideway for returning the support toward its original position and also for actuating the means for indicating the probable distance of the hit.

14. A device as claimed in and by claim 13, wherein the means for returning the support toward its original position and which means also actuates means for causing indication of the probable distance of the hit comprises an elongated pneumatic cylinder having a iioating abutment therein closing one end thereof, and having its other end closed, and a piston with a relatively long attached rod in the other end of theV cylinder, the free end of the rod projecting through and beyond the closed end of the cylinder and having its attached piston spaced from said closed end of the cylinder and spaced from said floating abutment thereby forming two air compression chambers whereby when the ball in the support is hit at one end of the guideway it travels to the said other end of the guideway and the support strikes the floating abutment which compresses air against said piston causing a rebound of the abutment which strikes the said support and drives it backward toward its initial position and simultaneously therewith causes the said pistonto move in the cylinder, compressing air therein, and its attached rod to move outwardly therefrom which in turn causes an indication of the probable distance of the hit and the compressed air causing said piston to move back to its original position whereby all or the said parts will be in position for another hit of the ball.

15. A device asv claimed in and by claim 13, wherein a means is associated with one end of the guideway for causing actuation of said inaccuracy determining means comprising an operator member, said operator member being capable of universal movement so as to cause operation of said inaccuracy determining means regardless as to where and how the ball is hit, if said ball be hit inaccurately, but, if said ball be hit accurately then said operator member will not actuate the said inaccuracy determining means.

16. A device as claimed in and by claim 13, wherein a means isv associated with one end of the guideway for causing actuation of said inaccuracy determining means comprising an operator member in a casing with which one end of the guideway is movably associated and wherein the inaccuracy determining means is also positioned, said operator member being pivotally attached to the said end of the guideway and mounted in a ball and socket connection within the casing whereby it is capable of a universal lmovement so that it may cause actuation of said inaccuracy determining means regardless as to where and how theball is hit, if said ball be hit inaccurately.

PETER. W. KANE. 

